Device for holding heat insulating materials for double-shell low-temperature liquid storage tank

ABSTRACT

A cylindrical intermediate wall consisting of a plurality of arcuate intermediate wall segments interconnected by means of expandable joints is installed between the outer and inner shells of a double-shell low-temperature liquid storage tank in such a way that the intermediate wall may be supported by the outer shell, and granular heat insulating materials packed into the space between the outer shell and the cylindrical intermediate wall may be held undisturbed regardless of the deformation due to temperature change of the inner shell.

United States Patent Ozaki 1 Oct. 21, 1975 [54] DEVICE FOR HOLDING HEAT 1,888,039 11/1932 Huff 220/63 R INSULATING MATERIALS FOR FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS DOUBLE'SHELL LOW'TEMPERATURE 851,568 10/1960 United Kingdom 220/9 A LIQUID STORAGE TANK 840,952 7/1960 United Kingdom 220/9 LG 75 Inventor; Masahiko Ozaki, Tokyo Japan 234,484 7/1961 AustralIa 220/9 LG 2,050,730 6/1971 Germany 220/9 LG [73] Assignee: Ishikawajima-Harima Jukogyo Kabushiki Kalsha, Tokyo, Japan Primary ExaminerWilliam 1. Price [22] Filed; Jam 21, 1974 Assistant ELtaminerStephen Marcus [21] Appl. No.: 435,216 [57] ABSTRACT A cylindrical intermediate wall consisting of a plural- [30] ForeIgn Applicatlon Priority Data ity of arcuate intermediate wall segments intercon- Aug. 30, 1973 Japan 48-101830 neeted by means of expandable joints is installed between the outer and inner shells of a double-shell low- [52] US. Cl. 220/9 LG; 52/273; 220/ 15 temperature liquid storage tank in such a way that the [51] Int. Cl. B65D 25/18; B65D 87/24 intermediate wall may be supported'by the outer shell, [58] Field of Search 220/9 A, 9 LG, 63 R; and granular heat insulating materials packed into the 52/573 space between the outer shell and the cylindrical intermediate wall may be held undisturbed regardless of [56] References Cited the deformation due to temperature change of the UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,825,154 9/1931 McDermott 220/63 R 2 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures Oct. 21, 1975 US. Patent DEVICE FOR HOLDING HEAT INSULATING. MATERIALS FOR DOUBLE-SHELL LOW-TEMPERATURE LIQUID STORAGE TANK The present invention relates to a device for'h olding heat insulating materials for a double-shell lowtemperature liquid storage tank.

The same inventor proposed a device for holding heat insulating materials for a double-shell lowtemperature liquid storage tank of the type in which anintermediate wall consisting of a plurality of corrugated metal segments is installed between the outer and inner shells of the storage tank and joined to the outer shell so that the granular heat insulating materials packed into the space between the intermediate wall and the outer shell may be held undisturbed regardless of the deformation of the inner shell due to a temperature change. However, the proposed device has some defects. First of all, it takes a relatively long time to fabricate the corrugated metal segments and to join them to the outer shell. Furthermore, the construction is complex and the cost is expensive. Moreover, the replacement of damages corrugated metal segments is not simple.

One of the objects of the present invention is there-' fore to provide an improvement of a device for holding heat insulating materials for a double-shell lowtemperature liquid storage tank.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for holding heat insulating materials for a double-shell low-temperature liquid storage tank, which device can hold the granular heat insulating materials packed in the space between the space between the outer shell and the intermediate wall undisturbed regardless of the deformation due to a temperature change of the inner shell.

A further object of the present invention is to provice a device for holding the heat insulating materials for a double-shell low-temperature liquid storage tank, which device is extremely simple'in construction and inexpensive in cost.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a device for holding the heat insulating materials for a double-shell low-temperature liquid storage tank, which device may be manufactured, installed and repaired in a very simple manner.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of one preferred embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the accom panying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a supporting device for a double-shell low-temperature liquid storage tank;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view thereof taken along the line IIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 (A) is a detailed view, on enlarged scale, of a part indicated by a circle III in FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 (B) shows a variation thereof;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are'fragmentary sectional view illustrating-the arrangement between an intermediate wall and an outer shell; and

FIG. 6 is a plane view thereof taken along the line VV of FIG. 5.

outer shell 1 and an inner shell 2. Bothvertical edges of each of the intermediate wall segments 3 are radially outwardly bent as best shown iniFIG. 2 to form flanges 3. As shown in FIG.-3 (-A), theflanges 3,. are located within anexpandable joint 4 U- shaped in cross section and made of anelastic material, or cover made of cloth, glass cloth, cotton cloth, etc.;. and are joined with bolts 5 and stop plates 6 so that the adjacent intermediate wall segments 3 are joined to each other to form a cylindrical intermediate wall.

Alternately, the adjacent flange 3 of the intermediate segments 3 are joined with the bolts 5 after an elastic packing material such as glass fiber 5 is filled into the space between the adjacent flanges 3.

As shown in FIG. 4, a hook member 9 is made into engagement with an eye member 7 fixed to the outer surface of each of the intermediate wall segments 3 and with an eye member 8 fixed to the inner wall of the outer shell 1 so that the intermediate wall may be supported by the outer shell. Likewise, as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, this connection type is able to be substituted as follows. Namely, member 9 is substituted for connection rod with holes on each side, member 7, 8 are substituted for tab plates with holes, and they are connected with pins or bolts 14. Furthermore heat insulating material 10 in the form of particle such as granular pearlite is packed into the space defined between the intermediate wall and the outer shell as shown in FIG. 1. The storage tank has an outer roof 11 and an inner roof 12, and a heat insulating material 13 is packed into the space between the outer and inner roofs 11 and 12. Low-temperature liquid 15 is stored within the storage tank. 16 is heat insulating material at bottom.

According to the device for supporting the heat insulating materials with the construction described, even when the space between the inner shell 2 and the outer shell 1 is increased due to the contraction of the inner shell 2'because of the low temperature of liquid 15 stored in the tank, the intermediate wall may keep the same distance from the outer shell 1 because they are interconnected by the hook members 9. Furthermore the circumferential expansion and constraction of the intermediate wall may be absorbed by the deformation of the elastic joints 4 or 4'. Thus the cylindrical intermediate wall may be always located along the same circumference on the bottom of the storage tank. Therefore, the original configuration of a body of grannular heat insulating materials 10 packed into the space between the outer shell 1 and the cylindrical intermediate wall remains unchanged.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to its preferred embodiment described hereinbefore. For instance, some of a plurality of intermediate wall segments may be joined to the outer shell, and instead of granular pearlite any granular heat insulating material may be used. That is, various modifications may be made without departing from the true spirit of the present invention.

i What is claimed is: 1. A heat-insulated liquid storage tank comprising a bottom, a cylindrical one-piece outer shell, a cylindritermediate wall, the edge of each of said segments disposed in the space between said intermediate wall and said outer shell to provide support for said intermediate wall, and insulating material disposed in the space between said intermediate shell and said outer wall.

2. A heat-insulated liquid storage tank as defined in i claim 1 wherein the space between adjacent flangestis packed witha heat insulating elastic material. 

1. A heat-insulated liquid storage tank comprising a bottom, a cylindrical one-piece outer shell, a cylindrical one-piece inner shell spaced therefrom, a roof for said outer shell, a roof for said inner shell and a series of arcuate one-piece segments disposed between said inner shell and said outer shell to form a cylindrical intermediate wall, the edge of each of said segments being provided with vertically extending integral flanges, adjacent flanges of each segment being spaced from each other, an expansable joint connecting adjacent flanges to permit expansion and contraction of said intermediate wall, means for connecTing the intermediate wall to the inner surface of the outer shell and disposed in the space between said intermediate wall and said outer shell to provide support for said intermediate wall, and insulating material disposed in the space between said intermediate shell and said outer wall.
 2. A heat-insulated liquid storage tank as defined in claim 1 wherein the space between adjacent flanges is packed with a heat insulating elastic material. 